A SECOND mental Health patient has gone on the run from a secure hospital in the space of a week.

John Oliver, 68, was staying at the Clare House medium secure unit in Pound Lane, Bowers Gifford.

He was on a supervised shopping trip to Basildon town centre on Saturday where he gave medical staff the slip.

Police have said he is not dangerous, but have launched a manhunt to track him down.

His disappearance comes a week to the day after Kristos Sofrianou, escaped from Clare House after allegedly biting a nurse.

Sofrianou escaped from the unit on Saturday, September 12, and was on the run for six days before he was finally arrested by police in Bristol last Friday.

Helen Cook, spokeswoman for Essex Police, said: “John Oliver is a mental health patient.

“He is believed to have travelled to south west London and we are liaising with Metropolitan Police officers to locate him and return him to Essex, although it is believed he may do this of his own volition.

“We don’t have information at this time to suggest he is dangerous and we are contacting his next of kin for a recent photograph of Mr Oliver.”

Kevin Newman, spokesman for St Andrew’s Healthcare, which runs Clare House, refused to comment on the latest escape.

Sofrianou, 25, who was arrested on suspicion of a variety of offences has been bailed until October.

Mr Oliver is described as white, with grey hair and he walks with a stoop.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts can contact Basildon police on 0300 3334444.